As noted on international sports news sites, Serena Williams was defeated by Marion Bartoli in the 4th round of the Wimbledon 2011 in London, England, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).

Bartoli, 26, the No. 9 seed and a Wimbledon 2009 finalist beaten by Venus Williams, Serena‘s older sister, won the two straight sets against the 29-year-old American tennis player.

Serena, Wimbledon‘s defending champion, reportedly saved four match points before she lost from Bartoli, with the first three match points at 6-5 in the second set while another in a tiebreaker.

However, Bartoli continued to make strong services and earned another two match points and later took the second to take the tiebreak 8-6, beating the No. 7 seed Serena, who had health problems and did not play for almost a year.

“Beating Serena is a dream come true,” Bartoli was quoted during a TV interview after she won, noting that the 29-year old All England Club four-time champion is a “huge opponent” over the net.

“For me to be able to come back after having three match points is pretty amazing. It was not easy mentally to hang on, but I did it.” Bartoli added, as Serena’s lost was her Wimbledon’s earliest lost since 2005.